“Well, I can; so that in case of accident you have more reason to be alarmed than I. But I have property in the boat, and I shan’t run the risk of losing it.”
“Ah! you English are very particular. Not long ago I rowed four Englishmen. Directly we got in the bay, although it was beautiful weather, one and all they pulled out a cloth bag with a screw to it, and blew it up, and put it round their waists.”
I could not help smiling at my countrymen’s peculiarities. As we swept along under the cliffs, I inquired whether there were any bears about here.
“Bears! forstaae sig (to be sure)! You see that speck yonder? That’s Vellavik.”
I took out my double glass to discern it—they are infinitely superior to the single ones.
“Bless me! why you have got a skue-spil kikkert[17] (theatre-glass)!”
“Skue-spil! what do you know about skue-spil?”
“Why, I once was at Bergen, and went to see a play.”
“Indeed! And how did you like it?”
“Not much. I also saw a juggler and a rope-dancer: that I liked a vast deal better.”